WINTER HAVEN — Desirae Murray’s 2026 track and field season began last summer when a poor performance in the preliminaries kept her to of the finals at the Junior Olympics. Since then, her focus has been to have a stellar senior season and challenges for state titles.
That focus has led the Winter Haven senior to set personal records in the one 100 in each of her first four races of the season. She continued her strong season on Thursday by winning four time. She won the 100-meters and the 200 and ran the anchor leg on the 4×100 and the first leg on the 4×400 at the Class 4A, District 6 Track and Field Meet at George Jenkins High School.
Murray won the 100 in 11.87 and won the 200 in 24.44. They weren’t her best times, but she was OK with the times considering she wasn’t being pressured.
“I do well under pressure,” she said. “I knew this was in the tank.”
Murray’ season began with a bang as she set a personal record in the 100 the first time she ran it and set a PR in the 200 the second time.
“I was really happy to see the results,” she said. “I worked really hard. Last year, I kind of hit a plateau. To see these results is gratifying.”
Generally last year, Murray was in the low 12s. The times she broke under 12 seconds, she ran between 11.93 and 11.96, which was the time she ran when she finished second at the Class 4A state meet.
This year, in the 100, she kept running better times through her first four meets, setting a PR of 11.74.
Last summer, after running 11.95 — her PR last year was 11.93 — at AAR Regional Qualifier, Murray ran 12.13 to finish 27th in the Junior Olympics. It bothered her because she saw other runners’ times and knew she could have done better.
So with that mental desire, Murray went to work beginning in October. She’s lifted weights for the first time and has gotten stronger, always having an eye on her senior season. She doesn’t want to have any regrets.
“I just wanted to push myself every day,” she said. “I don’t want the season to end, saying I wish I could have better. Every day, I pushed myself.”
Murray, who has been in the top 5, is currently ranked No. 8 in the 100 in Class 4A. She is ranked higher in the 200 where she is ranked No. 4. Last year, she finished 16th at state in the 200.
Gibson leads Jenkins girls to team title
Junior Tori Gibson won twice and medaled four times to lead George Jenkins to the team title. Jenkins finished with 270 points, and Winter Haven was second with 203.5 points.
Gibson won the 100 hurdles (14.40) and the 400 hurdles (1:04.29) and took second in the long jump (16-09.75) and third in the triple jump (33-09.5).
Michaela Williams also won twice. She won the 400 (56.0) and long jump (17-10.25).
Three other Eagles also won district titles — Natalie Moss in the high jump (4-11.75), Sophia Suman in the pole vault (7-10.5) and Taraji Bell in the triple jump (35-01.25).
Jenkins also won the 4×800.
3 more Blue Devils win girls title
Olivia Celiscar won the shot put (40-05.5) and was second in the discus (117-01) to teammate Torsions Nance (118-11). Leila Lopez won the 3,200 (13:03.56) and was third in the 1,600 (5:58.90).
Dobie wins showdown with Washington, leads relay to county record
Lakeland senior DJ Dobie was just .02 off his personal record as he ran 10.34 to win the 100 then beat Winter Haven’s Elijah Washington in the 200. Dobie ran a personal-best 21.24 in winning the 200. Washington, who is ranked No. 1 in Class 4A, ran 21.34.
“I was just trying to PR,” Dobie said. “I wasn’t trying to beat anyone.”
Lakeland moved up to second in the 4×100, anchored by Dobie, by setting a county record of 40.65, breaking Haines City’s mark of 41.28 set in 2001. Jayden Williams, Jaace Moore and Javares McRoy also ran.
George Jenkins wins boys team title
County champion George Jenkins ran away with the team title with 225 points. Lakeland was second with 124 points
Colin Hagner won the 1,600 (4:33.36) and was second in the 3,200 (10:26.24). William Marocco won the 3,200 and was second in the 1,600. Gabriel Bourque won the pole vault (11:03.75). Corban Kennedy won the javelin (158-02).
Jenkins also won the 4×800.
More boys winners from Winter Haven, Haines City
Winter Haven got titles from Joshua Garvin in the 400 (49.30), Julius Handford in the 800 (1:59.45) and Brice Booker in the triple jump (45-06.25). The Blue Devils also won the 4×400.
Haines City’s Yvenerson Elizee won the long jump (22-10.5).
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Winter Haven’s Murray wins 4 times plus all highlights from 4A-6 meet
Reporting by Roy Fuoco, Lakeland Ledger / The Ledger
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
